how gladly would I have sacrificed myself for you；
  Charlotte ！ And could I but restore peace and joy to your bosom， with
  what resolution ， with what joy， would I not meet my fate ！ But it
  is the lot of only a chosen few to shed their blood for their friends ，
  and by their death to augment ， a thousand times ， the happiness of
  those by whom they are beloved.
  I wish， Charlotte， to be buried in the dress I wear at present：
  it has been rendered sacred by your touch. I have begged this favour of
  your father. My spirit soars above my sepulchre. I do not wish my pockets
  to be searched. The knot of pink ribbon which you wore on your bosom the
  first time I saw you， surrounded by the children —— Oh ， kiss them
  a thousand times for me ， and tell them the fate of their unhappy friend！
  I think I see them playing around me. The dear children ！ How warmly
  have I been attached to you ， Charlotte！ Since the first hour I saw
  you ， how impossible have I found it to leave you. This ribbon must be
  buried with me： it was a present from you on my birthday. How confused
  it all appears！ Little did I then think that I should journey this road.
  But peace ！ I pray you ， peace！
  "They are loaded—— the clock strikes twelve. I say amen. Charlotte，
  Charlotte ！ farewell ， farewell ！"
  A neighbour saw the flash ， and heard the report of the pistol ；
  but ， as everything remained quiet ， he thought no more of it.
  In the morning， at six o'clock ， the servant went into Werther's
  room with a candle. He found his master stretched upon the floor， weltering
  in his blood， and the pistols at his side. He called ， he took him in
  his arms， but received no answer. Life was not yet quite extinct. The
  servant ran for a surgeon ， and then went to fetch Albert. Charlotte
  heard the ringing of the bell ： a cold shudder seized her. She wakened
  her husband ， and they both rose. The servant， bathed in tears faltered
  forth the dreadful news. Charlotte fell senseless at Albert's feet.
  When the surgeon came to the unfortunate Werther， he was still lying
  on the floor； and his pulse beat ， but his limbs were cold. The bullet，
  entering the forehead ， over the right eye ， had penetrated the skull.
  A vein was opened in his right arm： the blood came ， and he still continued
  to breathe.
  From the blood which flowed from the chair， it could be inferred
  that he had committed the rash act sitting at his bureau， and that he
  afterward fell upon the floor. He was found lying on his back near the
  window. He was in full-dress costume.
  The house ， the neighbourhood， and the whole town were immediately
  in commotion. Albert arrived. They had laid Werther on the bed： his head
  was bound up， and the paleness of death was upon his face. His limbs
  were motionless ； but he still breathed， at one time strongly ， then
  weaker—— his death was momently expected.
  He had drunk only one glass of the wine. "Emilia Galotti" lay open
  upon his bureau.
  I shall say nothing of Albert's distress， or of Charlotte's grief.
  The old steward hastened to the house immediately upon hearing the
  news： he embraced his dying friend amid a flood of tears. His eldest
  boys soon followed him on foot. In speechless sorrow they threw themselves
  on their knees by the bedside ， and kissed his hands and face. The eldest，
  who was his favourite ， hung over him till he expired； and even then
  he was removed by force. At twelve o'clock Werther breathed his last.
  The presence of the steward ， and the precautions he had adopted ， prevented
  a disturbance ； and that night ， at the hour of eleven， he caused the
  body to be interred in the place which Werther had selected for himself.
  The steward and his sons followed the corpse to the grave. Albert
  was unable to accompany them. Charlotte's life was despaired of. The body
  was carried by labourers. No priest attended.
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